Politics

LA City Council offers reward for information on the Teardrop Rapist

L.A. City Councilwoman Jan Perry offered a $50,000 reward today for information in the case of the "Teardrop Rapist." The reward motion coincided with Denim Day, a campaign to bring awareness to sexualized violence and prevention.
José Martinez/OnCentral

Alice Walton|April 25, 2012

A $50,000 reward for information on the “Teardrop Rapist,” who is accused of assaulting 28 women, was offered today by the Los Angeles City Council, which also highlighted the issue of sexualized violence by celebrating Denim Day.

The “Teardrop Rapist” is accused of raping women between the ages of 14 and 41, beginning in 1996, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The most recent case took place in November when a 15-year-old girl was assaulted at gunpoint near Adams Boulevard and Normandie Avenue. Other women were attacked in South Los Angeles, Koreatown and the Mid-City area.

The $50,000 reward was unanimously approved for information on the suspect, who is described as a male Latino, between 5 feet 2 inches and 6 feet tall, medium build with brown hair and eyes. He has one or two teardrop tattoos under his eye.

“Someone out there knows who this is, recognizes this person from the composite sketches and has information about the assaults,” said Councilman Jan Perry. “Even a small piece of information could very well be what leads detectives to find this individual.”

The reward came after the council marked Denim Day, which is a campaign to bring attention to sexual violence and prevention. Council members wore jeans and denim shirts in support of the cause.

“Every two minutes, someone in America is sexually assaulted,” said Councilman Eric Garcetti. “We get desensitized when they’re statistics and when they’re not stories, and each one of us know those stories – each one of us know the stories of sisters, children, mothers, colleagues, neighbors, co-workers and fellow students who have gone through the most horrifying experiences of their life.”

Anyone with information about the “Teardrop Rapist” was asked to contact the LAPD at (877) LAPD-247 or RHD-SAS@lapd.lacity.org.